Paper-feed guide for platen presses



March 4, 1924.- 1,485,997

H. H. STRAIT PAPER FEED GUIDE FOR PLATEN PRESSES Filed July 25 1921 Patented Mar. 4, 192

HOSEA H. STRAIT, or OVERLAND, MISSOURI.

PAPER-FEED coins. m PLATEN ranssns.

Application filed m 25, 1921. Serial no. 487,238.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HOSEA I-I. STRAIT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Overland, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feed Guides for Platen Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in paper-feed guides for platen-presses, one of the objects being to produce an extremely simple, inexpensive and highly efiicient device adapted to be accurately adjusted on a tympan to serve as a stop, or gage, for the sheets of paper transmitted to the tympan.

A further object is to produce a simple feed guide having an adjustable tongue extending from its head, or abutment, so as to limit thenpward motion of the edge ofthe paper engaging the abutment. A portion of the adjustable tongue preferably lies directly between a gripping lever and the prong which passes through the tympan sheet, and the parts are so combined with each other that the gripping lever can be operated to simultaneously clamp a portion of the tongue and a portion of the tympan sheet between the lever and the prong.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modificationswhich come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a top or plan view showing three of my guides mounted on a tympan.

Fig. II is an enlarged top or plan View of a guide embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. III is a front elevation of the guide shown in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a side elevation showing the guide mounted on a tympan and platen, the

latter beingshown in section.

Fig. V is a perspective view of one of the 2 parts of the guide, showing the prong, the

abutments, and the pair of arms adapted to support a gripping lever. I

Fig. VI is a plan view of a sheet metal blank adapted to be folded to produce the article shown in Fig. V.

A designates a tympan sheet adapted to be secured to a platen B (Fig. IV) by means of a tympan-drawer C'shown in Fig. I. A

sheet of paper D, arranged on the tympan A,

is adapted to engage guides G which are'secured to the tympan to determine the location of the paper to be printed.

Each guide comprises an abutment flange 1 having a smooth lower edge adapted to engage the tympan sheet A, a downturned flange 2 extending from the upper edge of the abutment flange 1 and engaging the rear face of said abutment flange. A single central prong 3 is integrally connected to the lower edge of the downturned flange 2, and this prong extends rearwardly from said lower edge, as shown by Figs. IV and V. Thelower edge of the flange 2 is preferably higher than the lower edge of the I abutment flange 1 (Fig IV), so the flange 2 and prong 3 will not in any way prevent the lower edge of flange 1 from firmly engaging the top face of the tympan sheet A. The prong 3 is inclined downwardly from the lower edge of flange 2 as shown in Fig. IV so when the prong is inserted through the tympan sheet A, the lower edge of the abutment flange 1 will be forced into engagement with thetop face of the tympan sheet.

4 designates side arms integrally connected to and extending rearwardly from the side edges of the downturned' flange 2, the rear ends of said arms being provided with perforations 5. All of the elements designated 1 to 4 inclusive may be made of l prong 3 adapted to .be inserted through the,

tympan sheet, and the pair of arms 4 having certain .functions to be hereafter pointed out. These elements are so combined with each oth'er that the device will have the required strength even though it is very small and made of a single piece of thin sheet metal.

F designates a gripping lever mounted between the arms at as shown in Figs. 11 and IV. This lever F may be made of a single piece of sheet metal having curved extensions 6 which project through the holes 5 to form a pivotal connection between the lever F and the arms 4:. This lever is also provided with a downturned gripping flange 7 located directly above the prong 3.

8 designates a thin flexible sheet metal tongue extending through slots 9 in the flanges 1 and 2 and having a front portion extending forwardly from the abutment flange 1 and a rear portion extending rearwardly from the flange 2. A portion of this tongue 8 lies directly between the prong 3- and the gripping lever F.

When the lever F occupies the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. IV, the tongue 8 can be adjusted longitudinally, and the prong 3 can then be inserted through the tympan sheet A as shown in Fig. TV. The prong 3 can be moved back and forth relative to the tympan sheet so as to very accurately locate the abutment 1, and after the device has been adjusted, the gripping lever F is shifted from the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. IV to the position shown by full lines so as to simultaneously clamp a portion of the tongue 8 and a portion of the tympan sheet A between the prong 3 and the gripping flange 7. The device is thus very firmly secured to the tympan sheet, and the tongue 8 is gripped to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof. Fig. IV shows that a portion of the tympan sheet A lies directly above the prong 3 and that a portion of the tongue 8 overlies the tympan sheet at this point, so that the gripping lever F can be operated to force its gripping element 7 onto the tongue 8, with the result of securely anchoring the adjustable device. A portion of the prong 3 is roughened as shownat 3 in Figs. V

r and VI, and when the parts are secured,

. tongue.

this rough portion engages the bottom face of the tympan sheet at a point directly below the gripping element 7 of the lever F.

After the parts have been secured in the positions to which they are adjusted, the gripping lever F prevents longitudinal displacement of the tongue 8, and this tongue is closely confined between the arms 4, so as to prevent lateral displacement of the The width of the tongue is approximately equal to the distance between the arms 1 (Fig. 11), so these arms will cooperate with the side edges of the tongue to prevent lateral displacement thereof.

The ton ue 8 serves as a stop for limiting the upwar motion of the edge of the paper sheets engaging the abutment 1; a The sheets are frequently slightly curled at their edges,

and when thrown against the abutment 1 they tend to pass over the entire device, but the tongue 8 prevents such displacement of the sheets.

All of the elements of this device rearwardly from the abutment flange 1, and they do not lie below the sheet of paper on which the printing operation is to be performed, so the device will not in any way interfere with the printing at the margins of the sheet of paper. The tongue 8 can be adjusted to extend only a slight distance in front of the abutment 1 and if desired this tongue can be removed from the device without impairing the eificiency of the other elements. The tongue is preferably made of very thin metal, and the gripping lever F will contact with a portion of the tympan sheet A to force the same onto the top of prong 3 when the tongue 8 is removed from the device.

By combining the several elements with each other in the manner herein disclosed the device can be very small, but it is desirable to have a comparatively large abutment flange 1 and. this flange is therefore extended laterally from the device, as shown most clearly by Figs. II and V.

I claim:

1. A feed guide comprising an abutment, a prong located entirely at the rear of said abutment and having a pointed rear end adapted to pass through a tympansheet, side arms at therear of said abutment, a longitudinally adjustable tongue confined between said side arms and extending for- Wvardly from said abutment, said side arms being located at the side edges of said tongue to prevent lateral displacement of said tongue, and a' gripping lever adapted to contact with a portion of said tongue whereby said tongue is forced toward said prong.

2. A feed guide comprising an abutment, a prong located at the rear 'of said abutment and having a pointed rear end adapted to pass through a tympan sheet, side arms at the rear of said abutment, a longitudinally adjustable tongue confined between said side arms and extending forwardly from said abutment, said side arms being located at the side edges of said tongue to prevent lateral displacement of said tongue, and a gripping lever whereby a. portion of said tongue is forced toward said prong, said gripping lever being arranged between and pivoted to said side arms and provided with a downturned gripping member adapted to contact with said tongue to secure the same, and a portion of said tongue being directly between said gripping member and said prong.

3. A feed guide comprising an abutment, a prong located at the rear of said abutment andhaving a pointed rear end adaptextend ed to pass through a tympan sheet, a longi tudinally adjustable tongue extending forwardly from said abutment, a portion of said tongue being located directly above said prong, and a gripping lever adapted to contact with said portion of said tongue whereby said portion of the tongue is forced toward the prong to grip the tympan sheet between said tongue and prong.

4. A feed guide comprising an abutment flange, a prong formed integral with and extending rearwardly from said abutment flange, said prong having a pointed rear end adapted to be inserted through a tympan sheet, a longitudinally adjustable tongue extending through said abutment flange and projecting forwardly therefrom, a portion of said tongue being located directly above said prong at the rear of said abutment flange, and a gripping lever adapted to contact with said portion of said tongue whereby said portion of the tongue is forced toward said prong to grip the tympan sheet between said tongue and prong.

5. A feed guide comprising an abutment flange, a single prong formed integral with and extending rearwardly from said abutment flange, said prong having a pointed rear end adapted to be inserted through a tympan sheet, a pair of side arms formed integral with and extending rearwardly from said abutment flange, a longitudinally adjustable tongue passing through said abutment flange and having a front portion extending forwardly from said abutment flange and a rear portion extending rearwardly from said flange, said rear portion of the tongue being located directly above said single prong and engaged with said side arms to prevent lateral displacement of the tongue, and a gripping lever arranged between and pivoted to said side arms, said gripping lever being provided with a gripping member adapted to contact with said rear portion of the tongue to grip the tympan sheet between said tongue and prong.

6. A feed guide comprising an abutment flange having a lower edge adapted to engage a tympan sheet, a downturned flange formed integral with and extending from the upper edge of said abutment flange, a prong integrally connected to and extending rearwardly from the lower; edge of said downturned flange, side arms integrally connected to and extending rearwardly from the side edges of said downturned flange, and a gripping lever arranged between and pivoted to said side arms, said gripping lever having a gripping element which conprong to grip the tympan tion extending rearwardly from said downturned flange, said rear portion being engaged by said arms to prevent lateral dis-. placement of the tongue, and a gripping lever arranged between and pivoted to said arms, said gripping lever having a gripping element adapted to contact with said tongue to grip the tympan sheet between said tongue and prong.

8. A feed guide comprising a single sheet of metal provided with an abutment flange having a smooth lower edge adapted to engage a tympan sheet, a downturned flange extending from the upper edge of said abutment flange and engaging the rear face thereof, and a single central prong integrally connected to and extending rearwardly from the lower edge of said downturned flange, said lower edge of the downturned flange being higher than said smooth lower edge of the abutment flange, side arms integrally connected to and extending rearwardly from the side edges of said downturned flange, and a gripping lever arranged between and pivoted to said side arms, said prong having a rough surface directly below said gripping lever, and said lever being provided with a flange which contacts with said rough surface to grip the tympan sheet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aflix my signature.

HOSEA H. STRAIT. 

